1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air conditioner, and more particularly, to an indoor unit of an air conditioner for allowing pictures or photographs displayed by the front thereof to be easily interchanged, thus providing the functional benefits of an air conditioner with an added aesthetic factor of interior decoration.
2. Description of the Related Art
Refrigerants circulating inside air conditioners undergo compression, condensing, expansion, and evaporation stages of a refrigeration cycle. In an air conditioner, refrigerant is first compressed to become high in temperature and pressure, and loses heat to the outside in a condenser, after which it passes through an expansion valve, gradually cooling and depressurizing. The cooled and depressurized refrigerant flows through an evaporator, absorbing heat along the way, and is then recycled to the compressor.
Here, the compression, condensing, and expansion stages occur in an outdoor unit of an air conditioner; and the evaporation stage occurs in an indoor unit by virtue of a blower fan and a heat exchanger. Air conditioners are grouped into two basic types: single unit air conditioners that consist of a single unit which performs the entire refrigeration cycle, installed in a wall opening such as a window, and split system air conditioners that have a separate indoor and outdoor unit that are respectively installed indoors and outdoors.
Split systems are further divided into wall mounted, permanently-installed, ceiling mounted, and ceiling concealed air conditioners. Convertible type air conditioners have versatile indoor units, which can be wall mounted, permanently-installed, or even ceiling mounted. Air conditioner indoor units come in various configurations, depending on the arrangement of their intake and discharge vents. For example, an indoor unit that intakes air from its sides and expels air from its front has discharge louvers disposed at the front to pivot up and down or from side to side for directing air accordingly.
Such prior art air conditioner indoor units have front portions that function only as covers. That is, a front cover installed at the front of an indoor unit functions to prevent components, such as a blower fan, heat exchanger, etc., from being exposed to the outside, as well as preventing electrocution or injury of children who may otherwise stick their hands inside the unit. Accordingly, the front of an indoor unit has a monotonous and stoic feel, and does not harmonize well with an interior.